School District Won't Allow Protest On River Ridge Campus

WOODSTOCK, GA -- A candidate for governor planning a protest calling for the firing of a Cherokee County School District teacher who blasted President Donald Trump in front of students will have to find another place to hold his gathering. That's because the district on Monday has informed Senator Michael Williams, a Republican from Forsyth County, that he will not be allowed to hold his protest planned for noon Wednesday at the River Ridge High School/Mill Creek Middle School campus in Woodstock.

The district shared the same message it sent to Williams to its parents, adding it takes the safety and security of school children "very seriously and have planned additional precautions." Williams originally scheduled for the protest to be held on Sept. 20 at the school campus along Arnold Mill Road. However, that date fell in the middle of the district's September break, so Williams rescheduled the gathering for Sept. 27. The school district said the protest will not be allowed on the River Ridge-Mill Creek or any other school campus "in accordance with federal and state laws."

"Unfortunately, your protest was planned and announced by you and your campaign without any prior conversation with the superintendent or his staff," the district added. "During today’s conversation, you were advised of the current situation regarding due process for the employee to whom you have referred."

Williams is calling on the school district to fire River Ridge High School math teacher Lyn Orletsky, who has been removed from the classroom after she was captured on camera criticizing President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again campaign slogan, written on T-shirts that two students wore in her class (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

The school district also informed Williams that his protest can't be guaranteed as peaceful, as it will disrupt the teaching and learning and may "endanger the safety" of more than, 3,200 students and staff on the campus.

"While we strongly support the Constitutional right to air grievances through peaceful protest, we support the courts’ interpretation that this right is limited in regard to school campuses," the system added.

CCSD also informs Williams that the campus, which serves students in grades 6 through 12, has no sidewalks or "adequate right-of-way" for anyone who wishes to congregate or park on the site.

The district will restrict access to the campus throughout Sept. 27 to anyone other than River Ridge or Mill Creek students, employees or parents/guardians who are dropping off or picking up children or are taking part in school-approved activities and events. School police officers and other law enforcement personnel, the district added, will monitor school driveway entrances and other areas on campus to ensure students and employees are safe. Furthermore, the campus will be under a Code Yellow status on Wednesday, meaning no outside activities will be allowed to take place.

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The school district isn't completely shutting Williams and his supporters out from gathering at district facilities, however. It has extended an offer for the protests to be held at the newly opened Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo Educational Services Facility on Bluffs Parkway in Canton.

"As we have repeatedly stated publicly, and to you in a phone conversation earlier today, we do not agree with the teacher’s actions, and we support our students’ Constitutional right to express political opinions," the district added. "As you were told today, the superintendent has authorized an administrative investigation, which is ongoing, and, as a result, we cannot discuss disciplinary action to ensure the Constitutional right of due process is afforded to all employees."

In a statement sent late Monday afternoon, Williams held said the school district continues to ignore the Constitutional rights of Trump supporters and is threatening to use police force to break up his planned protest.

"The school claims to have pre-determined that our peaceful protest, ‘will significantly disrupt teaching and learning and may endanger the safety of more than 3,200 students and staff…,'" he added in a statement. "The arrogance of such statements is insulting to myself and our peaceful protesters. We will not be intimidated by your deceitful statement meant to prevent our lawful right to assemble. The protest will continue as planned. Once again, this school has failed to properly handle simple situations. Very disappointing.”

Williams also claimed that Cherokee County Chief Marshal Ron Hunton told him the protest could legally take place, which Hunton flat-out denied. In a message sent to Williams on Monday, Hunton told the candidate's spokesperson, Seth Weathers, they have taken what he told other local media outlets out of context.

"What I said to the media is that your group, like anyone else, has a right to gather and speak on public property as long as that gathering does not impede traffic, ingress or egress to a location nor would it impede any public safety emergency response," he added. "I have no control over county school property. The school officials have the right to determine who will come onto school property."

Hunton goes on to suggest that if protest plans call for gathering in the road, hindering access to any property or impeding the response of public safety officials, then he should consider applying for a permit with the Cherokee County Development Services Center.

"This application in no way interferes with your right to gather but rather allows public safety to plan for any emergency response to that area or any area near the gathering point that may be impacted," Hunton added.

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